Adaptation to climate change refers to the anticipation of adverse effects of climate change and taking the appropriate action to prevent or minimize the possible damage - or to benefit from the opportunities associated with it. Examples of adaptive measures include for example more efficient use of scarce water resources, building flood defences and durable buildings for extreme weather conditions as well as developing drought-tolerable crops [1] (5).
The effects of climate change can be observed in ecological, social and economic systems. The ecological effects can include for example changes in mean climate conditions, melting of the icebergs and collapse of the thermohaline circulation. In addition to the strain on natural systems, climate change also strains socio-economic systems. Adaptation to climate change includes changes in processes, practices and structures and can for example be perceived in human adjustments to resource availability and to different societal or spatial risks [2][3] . Adaptation to climate change is important for impact assessment and policy development, so that the events which are likely to occur can be predicted and that the appropriate actions can be prescribed [4] .
Adaptation to climate change in Bangladesh
Criticism
Research on adaptation to climate change shows that the poorest countries and communities are more likely to be affected by climate change, because of geographic locations, low income and poor institutional capacity. Developing communities also tend to have a greater reliance on agriculture, which is considered to be a climate-sensitive sector. [5]
One of the major criticisms faced by traditional perspectives on adaptation to climate change is its top-to-down approach. Climate change scenarios, which are derived from Global Climate Models are often directly applied. These models provide simplified information about only a few variables (mean temperature, rainfall and sea level), and focus only on future climate. [6]
Current adaptation theories and practice have included grassroot level participatory methods of collecting information about people's livelihoods and daily existence.
Connection to Food
Adaptation to climate change is one of the key factors, which will shape the future impacts of climate change on food production. Smaller adaptive measures, such as changing the planting dates or the crop variety will bring about smaller benefits than costlier investments such as developing entirely new crop varieties or expansion of irrigation. Costlier adaptations will require investments from farmers, governments, scientists and development organizations (4).
Research shows that global food security is threatened by climate change, in a relatively short time-frame. The need for adaptation measures is pronounced in areas where climate conditions have the severest impacts on crops, such as South Asia, Southern Africa and Central Africa [7] .
Relation to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
Adaptation to climate change is related to many of the UN sustainable development goals, such as goal number thirteen, climate action. One of the main objectives of adaptive measures is to reverse and mitigate some of the effects that climate change has had as well as to address their causes. Climate action is needed in order to curb emissions and to mitigate the effects of climate change on the environment at large as well as food production.
Sustainable and reliable food production, especially in the future, relies on the ability to adapt to climate change. Drastically changing climate and weather conditions can severely impact the availability of food. UN sustainable development goal number two, zero hunger, is therefore closely related to the topic of adapting to climate change.
Organizational Illustrations
Adaptation to climate change in companies has been studied in house-building and water services companies in the UK . Drawing on concepts of organizational learning and economic change, researchers have been able to identify ways in which organizations adapt to climate change. Researchers have discovered direct or indirect signals relating to climate change and routine or ad hoc ways to adapt to them.
A water services company's routine way to adapt to an indirect signal of climate change would be their historical monitoring of water resources, whereas a house-building company's ad hoc way to adapt to a direct signal would be the immediate reaction to a flooding on a construction site (3).
Adaptation to Climate Change in Finland
The Finnish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has compiled a strategy of adapting to climate change in Finland. According to the strategy and expert statements, the average temperature in Finland could rise by 4 - 6°C by 2080 and the average precipitation could grow by 15 - 25 %. The estimates also expect extreme weather events, including storms, droughts and heavy rains, to increase.
The strategy is extensive, covering a multitude of aspects including agriculture and food production, forestry, fisheries, reindeer husbandry, game management, water resources, biodiversity, industry, energy, traffic, land use, communities, building sector, health, tourism and recreation sectors as well as insurance.
The main objective of the Finnish national strategy for adaptation to climate change is to reduce the negative consequences of climate change while taking advantage of the opportunities associated with it.
A video about adaptation to climate change in Finland
1) Adaptation to climate change refers to...
(Check all that apply)
a) the mitigation of adverse effects of climate change. CORRECT
b) the benefits associated with climate change. CORRECT
Adaptation to climate change refers to the anticipation of adverse effects of climate change and taking the appropriate action to prevent or minimize the possible damage. Adaptation can also refer to taking advantage of the opportunities associated with climate change.
2) The ecological effects of climate change include...
(Check all that apply)
a) Changes in mean climate conditions. CORRECT
b) Rising sea levels resulting from the melting of the icebergs. CORRECT
c) Increased levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
The ecological effects can include for example changes in mean climate conditions, melting of the icebergs and collapse of the thermohaline circulation.
Increased levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is commonly thought to be one of the causes of climate change rather than its effect.
^ Berkhout, F., Hertin, J. and Gann, D. (2006). Learning to Adapt: Organizational Adaptation to Climate Change Impacts. Climatic Change. 78(1). pp. 135-156.
^ Adger,W., Arnell,N. and Tompkins, E. (2005). Successful Adaptation to Climate Change Across Scales. Global Environmental Change. 15(1) pp. 77-86.
^ Smit, B. and Pilifosova, O. (2003). Adaptation to Climate Change in Relation to Sustainable Development and Equity. Sustainable Development. 18(1) pp.880-912.
^ Smit, B., Burton, I., Klein, R. and Wandel,J. (2000). An Anatomy of Adaptation to Climate Change and Variability. Climatic Change. 45(1). pp. 223-251.
^ Pradosh, N. and Bhagirath, B. (2011). A Critical Review of Impact of and Adaptation to Climate Change in Developed and Developing Economies. Environment, Development and Sustainability. 13(1) pp. 141-162.
^ van Aalst, M., Cannon, T. and Burton, I. (2008). Community Level Adaptation to Climate Change: The Potential Role of Participatory Community Risk Assesment. Global Environmental Change. 18(1). pp. 165-179.
^ Lobell, D., Burke, M., Tebaldi, C., Mastrandrea, M. Falcon, W. and Naylor, R. (2008). Prioritizing Climate Change Adaption Needs for Food Security in 2030. Science. 319(2). pp. 607-610.
Adaptation to climate change refers to the anticipation of adverse effects of climate change and taking the appropriate action to prevent or minimize the possible damage - or to benefit from the opportunities associated with it. Examples of adaptive measures include for example more efficient use of scarce water resources, building flood defences and durable buildings for extreme weather conditions as well as developing drought-tolerable crops [1] (5).
The effects of climate change can be observed in ecological, social and economic systems. The ecological effects can include for example changes in mean climate conditions, melting of the icebergs and collapse of the thermohaline circulation. In addition to the strain on natural systems, climate change also strains socio-economic systems. Adaptation to climate change includes changes in processes, practices and structures and can for example be perceived in human adjustments to resource availability and to different societal or spatial risks [2] [3] . Adaptation to climate change is important for impact assessment and policy development, so that the events which are likely to occur can be predicted and that the appropriate actions can be prescribed [4] .
Adaptation to climate change in Bangladesh
Criticism
Research on adaptation to climate change shows that the poorest countries and communities are more likely to be affected by climate change, because of geographic locations, low income and poor institutional capacity. Developing communities also tend to have a greater reliance on agriculture, which is considered to be a climate-sensitive sector. [5]
One of the major criticisms faced by traditional perspectives on adaptation to climate change is its top-to-down approach. Climate change scenarios, which are derived from Global Climate Models are often directly applied. These models provide simplified information about only a few variables (mean temperature, rainfall and sea level), and focus only on future climate. [6]
Current adaptation theories and practice have included grassroot level participatory methods of collecting information about people's livelihoods and daily existence.
Connection to Food
Adaptation to climate change is one of the key factors, which will shape the future impacts of climate change on food production. Smaller adaptive measures, such as changing the planting dates or the crop variety will bring about smaller benefits than costlier investments such as developing entirely new crop varieties or expansion of irrigation. Costlier adaptations will require investments from farmers, governments, scientists and development organizations (4).
Research shows that global food security is threatened by climate change, in a relatively short time-frame. The need for adaptation measures is pronounced in areas where climate conditions have the severest impacts on crops, such as South Asia, Southern Africa and Central Africa [7] .
Relation to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
Adaptation to climate change is related to many of the UN sustainable development goals, such as goal number thirteen, climate action. One of the main objectives of adaptive measures is to reverse and mitigate some of the effects that climate change has had as well as to address their causes. Climate action is needed in order to curb emissions and to mitigate the effects of climate change on the environment at large as well as food production.
Sustainable and reliable food production, especially in the future, relies on the ability to adapt to climate change. Drastically changing climate and weather conditions can severely impact the availability of food. UN sustainable development goal number two, zero hunger, is therefore closely related to the topic of adapting to climate change.
Organizational Illustrations
Adaptation to climate change in companies has been studied in house-building and water services companies in the UK . Drawing on concepts of organizational learning and economic change, researchers have been able to identify ways in which organizations adapt to climate change. Researchers have discovered direct or indirect signals relating to climate change and routine or ad hoc ways to adapt to them.
A water services company's routine way to adapt to an indirect signal of climate change would be their historical monitoring of water resources, whereas a house-building company's ad hoc way to adapt to a direct signal would be the immediate reaction to a flooding on a construction site (3).
Adaptation to Climate Change in Finland
The Finnish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has compiled a strategy of adapting to climate change in Finland. According to the strategy and expert statements, the average temperature in Finland could rise by 4 - 6°C by 2080 and the average precipitation could grow by 15 - 25 %. The estimates also expect extreme weather events, including storms, droughts and heavy rains, to increase.
The strategy is extensive, covering a multitude of aspects including agriculture and food production, forestry, fisheries, reindeer husbandry, game management, water resources, biodiversity, industry, energy, traffic, land use, communities, building sector, health, tourism and recreation sectors as well as insurance.
The main objective of the Finnish national strategy for adaptation to climate change is to reduce the negative consequences of climate change while taking advantage of the opportunities associated with it.
A video about adaptation to climate change in Finland
Open Access Articles
1) Smit, B., Burton, I., Klein, R. and Wandel,J. (2000). An Anatomy of Adaptation to Climate Change and Variability. Climatic Change. 45(1). pp. 223-251. Available at: http://www.uoguelph.ca/gecg/images/userimages/Smit%20et%20al.%20(2000)_Climatic%20Change.pdf
2) Adger,W., Arnell,N. and Tompkins, E. (2005). Successful Adaptation to Climate Change Across Scales. Global Environmental Change. 15(1) pp. 77-86. Available at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959378004000901
3) Berkhout, F., Hertin, J. and Gann, D. (2006). Learning to Adapt: Organizational Adaptation to Climate Change Impacts. Climatic Change. 78(1). pp. 135-156. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Julia_Hertin/publication/224892201_Learning_to_Adapt_Organisational_Adaptation_to_Climate_Change_Impacts/links/0c96052a6d2a845aec000000.pdf
External links
US EPA
European Commission
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
Finland's National Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change
Quiz created by Outi Alk with GoConqr
Answers to the Quiz
1) Adaptation to climate change refers to...
(Check all that apply)
a) the mitigation of adverse effects of climate change. CORRECT
b) the benefits associated with climate change. CORRECT
Adaptation to climate change refers to the anticipation of adverse effects of climate change and taking the appropriate action to prevent or minimize the possible damage. Adaptation can also refer to taking advantage of the opportunities associated with climate change.
2) The ecological effects of climate change include...
(Check all that apply)
a) Changes in mean climate conditions. CORRECT
b) Rising sea levels resulting from the melting of the icebergs. CORRECT
c) Increased levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
The ecological effects can include for example changes in mean climate conditions, melting of the icebergs and collapse of the thermohaline circulation.
Increased levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is commonly thought to be one of the causes of climate change rather than its effect.